I never thought of myself as an award chaser. Maybe like many kids, the endless pressure to achieve a scholastic level as measured by an
Author: W6PNG
Activating an Atlantic Squall
SOTA summit: Hestetinden https://sotl.as/summits/LA/SF-555 Activation Date: May 24, 2023 Unique: Yes, peak number 200 and something Call sign used: LA/M0SNA/P Portable operation: Yes Radios: Elecraft KX2 Antennas: LNR End Fed 40/20/10 Band/Modes used: 20m
Node-Red Calling Summit to Summit
In the arcane and niche world that is the intersection of peak bagging and ham radio, aka SOTA, the participants fall into two broad groups;
Paint by numbers radio kit
The arc of radio kits is waning. Easy to work with parts are going out of production in deference to tiny, minuscule equivalents that are
Blind Faith
SOTA summit: Blind Spring https://sotl.as/summits/W6/ND-067 Activation Date: December 26th, 2023 Unique: Yes, peak number 280 Call sign used: W6PNG Portable operation: Yes Radios: Elecraft KX2 Antennas: SOTABeams Bandhopper 60/40/20 Band/Modes used: Morse (CW)
2024 SOTA 10m Challenge – Activation #1
SOTA summit: Temple Hills W6/SC-369 Activation Date: January 1, 2024 Unique: No Call sign used: W6PNG Portable operation: Yes Radios: Yaesu FT-857 Antennas: Buddipole dipole Band/Modes used: 10m SSB (voice) and FT8 Operating highlights: Pack
Best views ever?
SOTA summit: Sotekollen Activation Date: May 23, 2023 Unique: 260th Call sign used: LA/M0SNA/P Portable operation: Yes Radios: Elecraft KX2 Antennas: LNR 40/20/10 Trail friendly end fed Band/Modes used: 20m SSB (voice)
Into a Viking Wonderland
SOTA summit: Haugjelsvarten https://www.sotadata.org.uk/en/summit/LA/HL-017 Activation Date: May 18, 2023 Unique: 254th Call sign used: LA/M0SNA/P Portable operation: Yes Radios: Elecraft KX2 and Yaesu VX 8G Antennas: LNR 40/20/10 Trail friendly end fed
Abundant opportunity
I’m spoilt. It’s not that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I wasn’t. Nor is it that I live in California
This is not the Tardis
Grounded. No travel, no vaccine, no toilet paper, no eating out and for some no work but for me these deprivations come with copious amounts
UK’s Highest, Ben Nevis
SOTA summit: Ben Nevis GM/WS-001 Activation Date: September 1, 2022 Unique: 251st Call sign used: MM0SNA/P Portable operation: Yes Radios: Elecraft KX3 and Yaesu VX 8G Antennas: LNR 40/20/10 Trail friendly end
Hilton Peak…Not quite Park Lane, NY
SOTA summit: Hilton Peak W6/SS-125 Activation Date: June 22, 2021 Unique: Yes, 235th Call sign used: W6PNG Portable operation: Yes Radios: Elecraft KX2 Antennas: LNR 40/20/10 Trail friendly end fed Band/Modes used: 20m